Natural stone trade supplier with a small yard

Landscapers, builders, stonemasons, kitchen worktop fabricators and independent stone or garden centre retailers.

You sell at a trade price above what you paid, including delivery costs. Margins come from buying in volume and from repeat orders from regular trade accounts.

• Knowing stone types and finishes
• Negotiating with suppliers
• Managing stock and cash flow
• Building trade relationships

• Stock is heavy and ties up cash, so check how much you can afford to hold before you buy
• Forklift and manual handling training, plus safe storage of heavy slabs
• Public liability, goods in transit and stock insurance, and employer's liability once you hire
• Import duties, customs paperwork and import VAT if you buy from outside the UK, so check with HMRC or a freight agent
• Check what product marking or declarations of performance your stone needs for construction use
• Late payment from trade customers, so consider credit checks and payment terms
• Ask suppliers about ethical sourcing, as buyers increasingly ask

Estimates suggest startup costs are typically around £15,000 to £60,000, depending on the unit or yard, how much stone you buy and your handling equipment. Stock is heavy and ties up cash, so check how much you can afford to hold.

Estimated monthly revenue is typically around £8,000 to £40,000, depending on your range, supplier terms and trade customers. Revenue is not profit, so consider stock, storage and late payment from trade customers.

Check forklift and manual handling training, safe storage of heavy slabs, and insurance including goods in transit and stock. Also check import duties, customs paperwork and import VAT if you buy from outside the UK, and what product marking your stone needs for construction use.